The Arts Council will be hosting three Grant-seeker Workshops for the Cultural Facilities program.  Vermont organizations interested in funding to revive or refurbish historical buildings are strongly encouraged to attend one of these sessions.  All workshops will take place from 3 to 5 pm. 

If you plan to attend, please notify Susan McDowell at smcdowell@vermontartscouncil.org or by calling (802) 828-0152.

Workshops:

• Tuesday, September 1 at Jamaica Town Hall
• Thursday, September 3 at Middlebury Town Hall Theater
• Tuesday, Spetember 8 at Danville Town Hall

A special initiative of the Conservation Project Support Program in partnership between IMLS and Bank of America.

Bank of America is partnering with the Institute to provide grants to small museums, libraries, and archives. The grants will raise awareness and fund preservation of treasures held in small museums, libraries and archives.

Grants will help to preserve specific items, including works of art, artifacts and historical documents that are in need of conservation.  Applicants will build on completed conservation assessments of their collections to ensure that the grants are used in accordance with best practices in the field, and underscore the importance of assessment planning.
 

Since the year 2000, Ashgate Publishing Company in Burlington has devoted a large portion of its annual charitable contributions to support libraries around the state.
Through its library donations program, Ashgate makes grants to public libraries in Vermont for special one-time projects and needs (as opposed to standard operating expenses and book budgets) as they arise.
Ashgate's charitable donations committee decides what amount to donate to which library (full or partial grants), in consultation with the company's staff members.  Ashgate does NOT make grants in support of capital campaigns, operating budgets, or general collection development.
Questions about this grant should be submitted via email to:
astevens@ashgate.com or nwilley@ashgate.com.

Through the Community Grants Program, each Best Buy territory across the United States annually selects non-profit organizations that apply for grants to support programs and services that provide opportunities for young teens related to education, life skills, leadership skills or relationship development.  This year, Best Buy Children's Foundation will give $1 million through the Community Grants Program.

Best Buy seeks applications from organizations that have current 501(c)(3) tax status and are serving a diverse population of young teens and their families in the areas of learning, life skills, leadership or relationship development.
 

The purpose of the Paul Post Fund is "to provide funds for libraries throughout the state of Vermont for acquisition of books for young adults, the establishment of reading and other enrichment programs, the production of seminars and workshops relating to reading, and for such other programs as the various libraries may from time to time develop to encourage and enhance reading by young adults."

The Fund has a primary interest in projects with a program component. While funds may be used for acquisitions, we hope a plan for their use will be included. Possible plans could be a summer reading group, an after school discussion group with book theme and concluding with speaker, a visit by a favorite author, coordination with a school project, etc.

For more information, including restrictions and criteria, visit: http://www.vermontcf.org/paul-post

The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new, quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries throughout the United States. Libraries are qualified on an individual basis. In general, county libraries should serve a population under 16,000 and town libraries should serve a population under 10,000 (usually under 5,000). Libraries should be in a rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children's department.

For more information visit: http://www.librifoundation.org/apps.html

The VPLF Winnie Belle Learned Fund welcomes grant applications from libraries for projects which will meet one or more of the goals described above, including, but not limited to: (1) funding to develop materials collections; (2) Library programming; (3) services to children, teens and families; (4) services and materials for parents, grandparents, or childcare workers, and (5) other activities or expenditures on behalf of the literacy needs of children, teens or families. Libraries are encouraged to be creative and to request funds for programs and services which meet the unique needs of their local communities.

For the Spring 2009 round of applications, we are encouraging libraries to focus on early childhood services or services to immigrant populations in your community; however all topics will be considered.
For the Guidelines and Application, visit: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/vplf.
 

The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. annually awards grants for purchasing books published for young people preschool through grade 12.  The LLCF library grant program provides grants for public libraries, school libraries, and charitable organizations [501(c)(3)] that have lending libraries where children up to age 18 may check out books to read or to use for gathering information. We will also consider applications from non-profit abuse centers, rehab centers, detention centers, etc., as long as a lending library is actively maintained on the premises. Only libraries or organizations within the United States, its territories, or commonwealths are eligible.
For more information please visit the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation website.

The Vermont Arts Council in partnership with the Vermont Folklife Center offers funding to support presentations, residencies, performances, and/or workshops by designated American Masterpiece artists at local schools, libraries, community organizations, parks & recreation departments, libraries etc.  For a list of designated American Masterpiece artists, please visit the Vermont Arts Council American Masterpieces Grant website.

The purpose of the Community Arts Grants is to provide support for arts activities that engage communities and/or audiences in an arts experience.  The Council is interested in funding projects and programs that bring together diverse groups of people and link them through shared, arts-based experiences. For more information about this grant and the application process visit Vermont Arts Council Arts Community Arts Grant website.